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There is as much art involved in body shape and size as there is functionality. Some time back, I stumbled across this book in a bookstore. I believe the author does a superb job of describing a whole host of issues related to design, as well as different approaches to solving some of the functional aspects related as well. Even if you do not pick it up to help solve your immediate concerns, I would highly recommend getting a copy if you think you might try another bass or guitar later on down the road. It gives some hard science to the art and ways to look at design that just plain make sense.

>I designed a template in photoshop, printed it, traced it over, cut mdf templates (So I had something tangible to play with and reshape before cutting hardwood), traced the MDF to hardwood, and cut.

I am assuming from the way you wrote this, and your resulting problem that you template was for the body only? Having the complete assembled bass to look at (body, neck, headstock) can be invaluable for spotting some of these issues early.

>I wanted to make the body a very very small bit bigger. Probably not wise.

There is nothing inherently wrong with playing with the size - but you have to keep in mind proportion with the instrument as a whole, especially as it relates to balance. (Again, the linked book does a good job of detailing much of this out). I would actually write out a fair amount of some of that detail to help you if I could, but I am in the middle of a move right now, and all the books are packed!

One of the greatest things about building an instrument yourself is that you can make it to fit you. The key is to really think about what that means from both the functional and aesthetic levels, and then find a happy compromise.
I am short guy (5'9") with a really long torso, short arms, huge palms, and thin, short fingers (why oh why did I have to fall in love with the bass?). I tend to gravitate toward medium width fingerboards on a really thin neck that is not too long in scale (34" stretches my fingers pretty good - it blows my mind when I watch guys like Wooten move their left hand around). I also know that prefer to play sitting, so getting that lower waist (leg curve as you put it) in the most comfortable place for me is important. How do you figure out where that is? Try out a bunch of basses - and take notes. The same basic principle applies to playing standing - the angle the bass will naturally rest is going to be different based a lot of factors (the book outlines these and shows some of the science to control for this as well).

>However, the length of the body was just poor design. I need to shorten it. The width will also come in too,

The easiest, quickest, and cheapest way I have found to be able to look at everything all once is with paper. You can buy huge card stock type poster boards, or just tape together a bunch of regular paper. At this juncture, since you already have a body, trace it onto the paper - be sure to include the neck and head stock. (In your case, I would recommend have a separate set of papers for the neck and headstock that is not taped to the body so you can also easily play around with how deep you want to inset the neck into the body. I would probably trace with pencil, then go over the pencil with a fine tip marker. This allows you to draw on the new shapes you are testing out and erase without accidentally erasing the original shape. Having done this you spend almost no money, and can visually inspect proportions and overall size and shape.

I hope this helps some. Each time you build you will learn something new (or lots of somethings!). That's part of the joy of making an instrument in my opinion. :)

Hi there!

I'd say that an important first step is plenty of research on the principles of guitar building, so that you have a good understanding of what you are trying to achieve before you start designing or building:

There are some excellent books on the subject, and also many resources on YouTube where you can watch the pro's at work and see how it's done....

Having some woodwork experience is a good starting point, and having the right tools for the job definitely helps, but many people have managed to achieve a first build on their kitchen table with just the basics....

Do you have an idea of what type of guitar you would like to build? I'm assuming a solid-body electric of some kind, which is somewhat more straightforward than say an acoustic guitar....

It's a good idea to base your first guitar on something which already exists, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel (some time spent trying out as many guitars as possible down at the local guitar store is always fun, until they get heartily sick of you!)....

Another good learning strategy is to acquire a couple of secondhand cheapo guitars to tinker with and take apart etc, without fear of ruining a decent instrument (also good for practice at soldering and wiring pickups, pots etc)...

You might also bear in mind that a kit guitar, or buying in components like a factory-made neck, or pre-slotted fretboard etc, can be a great starting point, and considerably less daunting than trying to make absolutely everything from scratch for a first-timer!

Nobody's first guitar is ever 'perfect' I'd say, so aim for something relatively simple and execute it really well, then save that triple-necked guitar with eighteen pickups and loads of exotic hardwoods you've always dreamed of (lol) for a future build, once you have mastered the basic skills... :>)>

Hope that helps.

PS - ask loads of questions as you go along, if something crops up that you are not sure of... that's what we're here for!

Best wishes,

Woody

Well, if it's 100% tung oil then you could just put a couple of coats on and then let it dry. If it's Tung Oil Finish, which is pretty much anything that doesn't say 100% tung oil, then it also has varnish in it and you'll want to wait overnight, maybe sand with some 400 to get out any dust nibs or bubbles, then recoat and wait and see if you like it the next day.

Just make sure you let that stuff dry completely before you topcoat it with anything. Your shellac would actually make a good topcoat and you can really shine the hell out of it if you like that look, although it will add a little bit of color. It's nice, though, because if it gets nicked up you can just add a new coat of shellac and it'll completely reamalgamate into the finish and look new.

You can do that with some other topcoats, too, but any of the urethane stuff, water based or not, is going to build in layers and so it's harder to repair. If you have a good paint shop anywhere near you, or if you own a compressor and sprayer, you might also try lacquer. You can get spray cans of lacquer at good paint stores and it works pretty well and is still more repairable later than urethanes.

Just make sure your oil coats are totally dry before you topcoat. Get your nose down in that thing and really try to sniff the fibers out of it and make sure you don't smell any more of the finish anymore!

If you have some time before you do it and want to really investigate some options, check out this book by Bob Flexner (no, I'm not him pimping my book!).

Really great book that is very, very comprehensive and easy to follow on different types of finishes, the pros and cons of each, application techniques, surface prep, etc. I use this book constantly, as evidenced by the bent up, finish-stained pages that sometimes stick together now. Any of the books by Jeff Jewitt are also really good for finish types and techniques, but the Flexner one is a great go-to for just about anything. If you live anywhere near a Woodcraft or Rockler or other woodworking store then they probably stock it.

Anyway, sorry for the wall of text. Just finish your sample piece the way you think you want to finish the guitar first and then you'll know exactly what you're getting and what issues to expect.

I make enough from guitar building and repair to be able to fund it as a hobby in itself. You're looking at a significant initial investment in tools, workspace, and marketing in a market that's pretty saturated with factory guitars and independent builders. I hope someday to build up a customer base large enough to make this a career, but until then I enjoy it as a hobby and an art that pays for itself. As an art, I'd suggest picking up a couple of books:

Guitar making tradition and technology and Make your own electric guitar.

Both of these will give you a great background on how to build an instrument. The links in the sidebar will be very helpful to you as well.

One thing that has been helpful to me is engaging in your local music community. I live in an area of the US with lots of churches and worship pastors that need their guitars worked on. I work on their guitars and every now and then do builds for them that meet the needs they're looking for. I don't know what your community looks like, but engaging with musicians where they're at and building up a report is the beginning to a self-sustaining hobby and hopefully will carry you to a business.

Best of luck to you!

Dan Erlewine's Guitar Player Repair Guide has been around for years and covers a lot of ground. I bought my copy when I was 16, over 20 years ago. The newest edition also comes with a DVD too. You can get it at StewMac here, although it's available from Amazon and most book sellers. No one book can cover every single little thing, but it's a good reference to keep around; I still check mine from time to time.

Anymore, it's easy to find most of this information freely available online. Someone already mentioned frets.com, which is an awesome site. There are tons of great Youtube channels too (Freddys Frets, StewMac, Crimson Custom Guitars, Sully Guitars, Dave's World of Fun Stuff, Blues Creek Guitars, O'Brien Guitars, and dozens more I can't remember offhand.) I think it's easier to learn certain things by watching videos, so I'd suggest picking one book as a main source, then look up videos for anything that's not entirely clear to you. I didn't have the benefit of Youtube or the internet when I started working on them, so take advantage of it!

I'd also recommend getting at least one book on building guitars, because it can give you quite a bit of insight about how different instruments are constructed. I've had Melvyn Hiscock's Make Your Own Electric Guitar for years too and it's a great book, but it's currently out of print. Keep an eye out for a used copy, or look into the ones that are currently available. StewMac has a good selection of books, but again you can find most of them from any book seller.

Finally, don't get too overwhelmed. Guitars are not particularly complicated things and it's not rocket science, even if it looks like it sometimes. There really aren't that many repairs that I'd consider too difficult for the average person, as long as you're willing to put in a little time to learn how to do them. Even refretting isn't that hard (although it's tedious and takes all friggin' day.) Learn how different types of guitars are built, because all a repair is is repeating a particular part of the build process to fix a problem. Watching "factory tour" videos on Youtube of various manufacturers can give you a surprising amount of information on how a particular builder tackles certain aspects of the instrument. There's almost always multiple ways to achieve a repair, it's just a matter of figuring out what works best for a particular instrument or situation or just how you prefer to work.

I have 2 books. One that nobody likes is by Melvyn Hiscock. Admittedly its a bit dated, but gives a pretty good idea of the principles of guitar design. It is not a woodworking book however, so it assumes you have some knowledge of woodworking techniques. I say nobody likes it because anytime its mentioned, someone will complain that they bought the book but couldn't build a guitar.

I have this booklet as well, and I also have his booklet on how to make a 5 string banjo. I think its pretty good as well.

Honestly though, there is enough information online about making guitars in this day and age, that I think you can do just as well by watching a bunch of videos and reading a bunch of online articles. Also, there are some really good people on this subreddit that can help answer questions in great detail.

The advice I will give will reproduce (some of) the steps I performed to make my guitar. I put aniline dye on ash.

Get a piece of alder similar to the one you're using for your guitar. Practice spraying dye on. Make sure you do both the face grain and end grain, and are happy with the results. Look at it while wet for the best idea of post-finishing look.

Alder is known to have blotchy tendencies when adding dye. If you spray on very light coats of dye, the problem is mitigated. Some recommend a light wash coat to prevent blotchiness, but this will limit the depth of color you can apply, and if your wash coat is uneven, your color will be uneven. So I prefer not to use a wash coat. You can always experiment with both techniques and find out what works for you.

1. Sand down to bare wood. Get rid of all of the Sand and Seal, get rid of all dye.
   
2. Spray the dye on. Borrow a friend's sprayer if you don't have one. It will look a lot better than wiping on. Spray on a few light coats. Blotchiness probably means your coats are too thick (too much dye at once). Avoid drips or formation of droplets on the wood. Immediately wipe away any that form, and spray more lightly.
   
3. Now apply your sealer. Be extremely careful not to sand through when leveling the sealer. Spray on several coats before doing any sanding.
   
4. Now apply your topcoat.
   
   > I'm not hoping for perfection but I would like it to look decent (better than it does).
   
   I know what I proposed above is a good bit of work. Trust me when I say it's worth it. You will have this guitar for the rest of your life. You want it to look good and be proud of your work. Now go forth and make an awesome guitar ;)
   
   If you want more information on finishing, a good source is Understanding Wood Finishing.

I'm currently building my first acoustic guitar, I didn't know anything about woodworking before starting, so I don't have a lot of experience but here are my thoughts:

I don't think you need a drum sander, at least not yet. You can do a nice job using a well sharpened plane, a caliper and a methodical approach. Invest in a good quality #4 or #5 plane, they're expensive but worth it and learn how to sharpen it, seriously your job will be a lot easier if you know how to sharpen your tools. In fact, i'd even consider taking a class.

As for power tools, the only one you absolutely need is a router / laminate trimmer, no way you can route binding channels without one, and it'll be great for working on the rosette and the truss rod slot.

I used a DIY bending iron powered by a light bulb, cost me about $40 and an afternoon to build one, it did a decent job, except that I wish it had a different shape with different radii, also it can be a bit tricky to set it to the right temperature, maybe it'd be easier using a torch but i'm not sure. If you can afford it could be a good idea to buy one, it seems to be the kind of tool that last a lifetime.

The advice about getting new tools when you need them is a sound one, otherwise you risk buying stuff you don't really need. At the beginning you just need a plane, a couple of chisels, a backsaw, measuring tools (caliper, straight edge...) and clamps.

Buy Cumpiano's book, read it and check luthiers blogs, forums and videos they're a great source of information. A blog that really helped me is that one he even has a [list] (http://acousticguitarbuild.blogspot.fr/2009/01/essential-tools-and-materials-to-get.html) of basic tools you need, check it out.

Not at all. While it's not impossible to use a cheap soldering iron and get a good job done, it will save you a TON of hassel by getting a good one. RadioShack irons are more trouble than 2x what they're worth. My soldering jobs have been a pleasure to do since I upgraded, and I solder often so that's important to me. I use the Weller WESD51, and it's an absolute joy to use. If your on a bit more of a budget, my friend is a professional luthier and he's never complained about the WLC100, which is also from Weller.


Do it. It's worth it.

All parts has a sale on second bodies right now for $60. Eyguitar music link has the other parts you will need ,they also have bodies, for pretty cheap. If you got your parts from those two sources it would be in the range your'e looking at.

I should mention that I've built a grand total of one guitar so I'm by no means an expert but I did spend a lot of time trying to source cheap parts.

As for assembly instructions I would check around the internet or maybe some of the other redditors can help out. I did find the guitar player repair guide really useful.

EY Guitar Shopping list

Strat Tele Gutiar String Tree Retainer Neck custom CR -- US$1.20

1Set,Big Size Strap End Pin,Chrome Finish, for Acoustic,Electric Guitar,Bass -- US$2.50

PACK12PCS* Strap Pin,End Pin Felt Washers,Vitage White -- US$0.80

PACK 6PCS,Telecaster Chrome String Mounting Through Ferrule -- US$3.00

New Chrome Neck Plate w/ Screw fit Fender Strat Tele -- US$3.00

pack15pcs,telecaster bridge mounting screw chrome -- US$1.50

10pcs,19mm Straight Pickup Height Springs,For Telecaster Neck or Bridge pickup adjusting,Chrome Finish -- US$1.00
Amercian Standard Tele pickguard 3 ply white -- US$6.19

Tele Jack plate Cup For your Tele body custom,Chrome,Metric Thread -- US$5.50

New,Natural Color in Satin Finish,Telecaster Neck 21 fret,Rosewood Fingerboard,10mm or 8.3mm, machine head mounting hole,White Dot,free shipping -- US$57.00

Tele Bridge Chrome 6 saddle String through body style_004 -- US$9.00

Chrome Grover 6 INLINE 305C6 Mid-Size Rotomatic Tuners -- US$20.00

3 Meters (9.8 Feet) Coated Hook Up Wires,22awg,style001 : Red -- US$1.70

3 Meters (9.8 Feet) Coated Hook Up Wires,22awg,style001 : White -- US$1.70

Artec Tele bridge alnico,TRA-44 --- US$10.00

Artec Tele neck Alnico Chrome,TFA-40C -- US$10.00

Eyguitar Total: $133.09

add the body from allparts.com $60

Approximate total shipping (I'm guessing here) $70

Grand Total: $263.09

Hope that helps.

Edit: Formatting & added Total

Edit 2: I just thought about it and you may also need to get screws attaching the neck & pickguard. You can get them from all parts.

Also, you'll probably need to use a drill press, people please correct me if I'm wrong, to add the holes for attaching the neck / pick guard.

This was my first book.

http://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Own-Acoustic-Guitar/dp/0634054635

She's not the prettiest girl at the dance but she plays well and started a great hobby. Now my wait list is about 2yrs long.

I've never done classes but had about 10yrs of woodworking experience and tools to draw from.

I think books are a slower road but they work. The guys that play my guitars tell me all the time about the compliments they get on their sound.

EDIT: forgot to add link

It's a little small. It has a 208 mm swing, which is 8" in Freedom Units. That means its maximum depth is 4", which is too shallow for some bridge posts.

If you're looking to go cheap, and you're building from scratch instead of performing repairs and general shop projects, a cordless drill attachment will work for you.

There's only 6 or 8 holes to drill on a standard 6-string guitar, so while a drill press is very useful, it's not an absolute necessity.

That being said, having a drill press is awesome, and it's worth paying for a larger used one if you decide to invest in one. I have a used one with a 14" swing and it's an ideal size.

My standard rec's, MyLesPaul and TDPRI luthiers forums, [Make Your Own Electric Gutiar] (https://smile.amazon.com/Make-Your-Own-Electric-Guitar/dp/0953104907/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502761069&sr=8-1&keywords=build+an+electric+guitar+melvin) by Melvin Hiscock.

Learn how to use woodworking tools, hand tools and powered tools.

Check out StewMac.com for the kinds of tools you will need. (you can make most of these yourself, or find cheaper alternatives)

Also, learn to love making jigs. :)

Seymour Duncan and Phostenix for schematics. To start, used Seymour Duncans and GFS pickups and bits and pieces.

This place for lots of guitar template PDFs.

USACG and Warmoth for quality pre-made necks and bodies.

And probably another dozen I'm forgetting.

Welcome. :)

Violin tops an backs are normaly made of one wedge shaped block of wood that is split from a tree, this produces well quartered wood with very little runout. This is then is split down the middle and opened like a book, it is therefore often said that the wood is "bookmatched"

The minimum dimentions i would use of such a wedge for the back or top would be about 380mm long, 225mm wide and about 30mm thick at the tickest edge, this gives you enough spare wood for resawing and jointing, but larger dimentions are fine, and this is the minimum.

The ribs are normaly made from rough pieces that are about 2mm thick, 40mm wide and of adequate length.

I do recomend you get a good book though http://www.amazon.com/The-Violin-Making-Chris-Johnson/dp/0709058764 this book is very good, it may seem expensive, but it is worth every cent. You can also check if your lokal libraries has some violin making litterature.

I was a violin maker for ten years. I went to violin making school for about four years. I had basically no woodworking experience with woodworking aside from one shop class in high school. Just get some tools, a good book and give it a shot. This book is super cool: https://www.amazon.com/Guitarmaking-Tradition-Technology-Guitar-Reference/dp/0811806405/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1523510264&sr=1-1

I build about ten classical guitars following the instructions from that book. It's fun to read too. Lots of pictures!

If you want to learn to build guitars maybe think about getting a kit and trying that first, or build a dulcimer from a kit. Building a dulcimer will give you a basic idea of instrument construction.

First and foremost be super patient with yourself and get some band-aids.

Also, don't try and make your living as a luthier! :P I struggled for years until I came to my senses and got a normal job.

This is one of the most useful books I've come across. Lots of great tips to make your life easier and very easy to read and follow. I use it as a quick reference all the time.

Guitar Player Repair Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/0879302917/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_VF3fzb9TE2BB0

I used this one, and this one. The first one is good to read before you start designing/building. It describes what makes a good design and what doesn't. The second is more of the actual building information. It even includes info on bass building, which is why I got it. You'd probably be looking more for the second book I listed, but it can be hard to find. Good luck!

You may have to look around for it, but I can’t imagine a better book than this one. You can do so much with just this book, and it gives you a great starting place and foundation to build on.

https://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Own-Electric-Guitar/dp/0953104907

K, if this is wrong, someone PLEASE, correct me! I'm here to be a good luthier, not cradle my ego.

I use an automotive paint for my color coats, see if you can find a local place that does custom jobs, my local shop has a binder as thick as a bible with color chips to choose from

For my clear coats, tint coats, sunbursts, etc I like Woodcraft's stringed instrument lacquer, it's basicall just a nitro finish, and I tint it with an ailide dye that I cut with alcohol

My biggest recommendation is get advise from a better luthier than myself. StewMac has a great book that has a lot of classic formulas, anf will give you all of the info you are looking for.

Edit: grammar/formatting is not my friend

helping hands wont work .. needs a very solid grip on the nut
I don't use the stewmac vice but I do use a vice mounted to my work bench with a couple of strips of wood not to damage the nut.

Nut files: If you are going to do this a lot or for a long time it is worth it to invest in good files (stewmac or luthiers mercantile). If you want to go on the cheap at first most hobby shops have exacto saw blades the right gauge for the high e/b and you can use a set of blowtorch tip cleaners. http://www.amazon.com/US-Forge-Welding-Cleaner-00802/dp/B000UVR0NO/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1375875973&sr=1-1&keywords=US+Forge+Welding+Tip+Cleaner+%2300802

This guy seems to have it down but I didn't watch it all (15min and I already know how to make a nut ) but he seemed to have all the main points down. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKO4hat7oJE

Make Your Own Electric Guitar is a good one.

I also got a lot of inspiration and good ideas from Jeff Miller's step-by-step pictures online.

Excellent Stuff by Ervin Somogyi

The Responsive Guitar

Voicing the Guitar DVD

Older but still Excellent
Guitarmaking: Tradition and Technology

Basically a step by step for a steel string
Build Your Own Acoustic Guitar: Complete Instructions and Full-Size Plans

Edit: Formatting

If you're talking about violins then this one, co-written by two English makers, is excellent. For bass (upright) the best one I know of is this one by Chuck Traeger. If you're talking about guitars, then I have nothing to offer, sorry.

Here is a book on finishes --- http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Finishing-Step---Step-Erlewine/dp/0977651908


This one is a general repair guide but I have it and it is full of really really good info that may be of use to you as well.
http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Player-Repair-Guide-3rd/dp/0879309210

This is a great reference for setups How to Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great I just got kindle on my phone and bought it for $10. It has general factory setups and setup of some famous players.

Buy this book. You can buy some aircraft stripper at Autozone, or the likes, I like the spray-can type. Sand down with 100 grit and then sand back up to 220. Sherwin Williams carries "Water White" nitro-cellulose lacquer suitable for instrument finishing. What kind of wood is the body made of?

I picked up this one off Amazon, and it's amazing. So much faster than the files I was using before...

As first woodworking projects go, you're picking a very big and complex build.

My recommendation would be to either start with kits and work your way towards acoustic non-kit, or go to a luthier school. Even to just get some general carpentry courses under your belt first, so you're familiar with the tools and general safety stuff.

If you're hell-bent on doing it all yourself, then I don't even know where to start to help you. You at the very least need a good stable of hand wood working tools. Thickness sander would be helpful, but that's in the $1500 range alone (for a start, absolute minimum sized one). Belt sander, table saw, and bandsaw are all absolutely necessary (though if you can only afford 2, make them the belt sander & bandsaw). Planes of all different sizes. Clamps - you can never have too many. Chisels. A go-deck clamping system. Fret files, hammer, & slotting tool of some kind (I use my table saw with a fretting blade).

It's a big ask, and there is no simple answer, even just for tools alone. I've heard good things about this book, but haven't checked it out myself:

http://www.amazon.ca/Build-Your-Own-Acoustic-Guitar/dp/0634054635

This book is really great for beginners. Step by step building. Includes plans. Lots of color photos throughout.

Find a book or two about guitar building on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Own-Electric-Guitar/dp/0953104907 this one is pretty excellent) and read it. The book will not only tell you every step of building an instrument, but it will also list every tool and material you will need to complete the project.

The first step to take, though, is to learn basic woodworking skills. Without them (and without good hands-on guidance from a skilled woodworker), you will not build an instrument worth playing.

Looks kinda like this:

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Phoenix-Contact/1862123?qs=tlR8i4ZVbUc1f5k7IsCy7A%3D%3D&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtrnuBRDXARIsABiN-7Bw9X-xP4Ks10MUICn1q7rDXfOYfPhq44Q1JzXB-dmC0GTtTntXgMIaAnElEALw_wcB

​

Can use the screw down type as well:

https://www.amazon.com/SamIdea-10Pieces-2-54mm-Terminal-Assorted/dp/B07FTJSNN7/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=terminal+block+pcb&qid=1573830689&sr=8-4

All good recommendations. I'd also suggest these are worth a look, even if you're building an electric rather than acoustic:

Kinkead's 'Build your own acoustic guitar'

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Build-Your-Own-Acoustic-Guitar/dp/0634054635

and Blishen's 'The Steel String Guitar'

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Acoustic-Guitar-Making-Steel-String/dp/1847973744/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=nick+blishen&qid=1563977881&s=books&sr=1-1

Violin making is a centuries old craft and it has been very well documented. There's a lot of material if you look in the right places. Everything is done for a well established reason.

For example

https://www.amazon.ca/Art-Violin-Making-Chris-Johnson/dp/0709058764

Don't forget that people make bows, too.

>Can use the screw down type as well:
>
>https://www.amazon.com/SamIdea-10Pieces-2-54mm-Terminal-Assorted/dp/B07FTJSNN7/ref=sr\_1\_4?keywords=terminal+block+pcb&qid=1573830689&sr=8-4

I find these to be easier to use than the ones on the OW jigs.

That said, they may be harder to used if you have a big pot right in front.

I decided to make a guitar last December, and I have no prior woodworking or handyman knowledge. I used the Cumpiano book, which gives instructions on how to build a steel string and a classical guitar.

I am now pretty much done my guitar (a classical), just doing the french polishing steps, so I can tell you from experience that that book will tell you exactly what to do, albeit you'll need to apply some common sense now and again.

One thing I will mention is that I had to buy a fair amount of tools, mainly chisels, planes, rasps, sharpening equipment, etc. The book also tells you what you need to buy.

You can buy an attachable jig for a hand drill like this one

Recommended Books:
Electric Guitar and Bass Design: The guitar or bass of your dreams, from the first draft to the complete plan https://www.amazon.com/dp/3000296425/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_taa_HT7nDb2JCC3CP

Electric Guitar Making & Marketing: How to build and market high-end instruments, from your workshop's setup to the complete business plan https://www.amazon.com/dp/1514353083/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_taa_ZS7nDbZQR4RFH

Make Your Own Electric Guitar https://www.amazon.com/dp/0953104907/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_taa_mV7nDb4C88PQ7

Build Your Own Electric Guitar: Complete Instructions and Full-Size Plansby Oakham, Martin
(This one is hard to find)

Have a look at Dan Erlewine's book:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Guitar-Player-Repair-Guide/dp/0879309210

It's the bible. Your library will probably have a copy and it will explain everything in far better detail than anyone else can explain.

At minimum buy this book and read it from cover to cover.

https://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Own-Electric-Guitar/dp/0953104907

Another good book

https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Guitar-Making-Marketing-instruments/dp/1514353083/ref=pd_sbs_14_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=SE5NT39S20Q8590P6G38

If you end up having to make a nut, I have a great cost saving tip. When making one, you require nut files, they are crazy expansive. You can buy a set of orifice cleaning files/tip cleaners and they will do the same thing for a lot less money. they come in all the sizes you need for nut slots.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lincoln-Electric-Oxygen-Acetylene-Torch-Tip-Cleaner-Kit-KH575/100341101

https://www.amazon.ca/US-Forge-Welding-Cleaner-No-00802/dp/B000UVR0NO

I have built many guitars and do luthier work regularly and have not seen a need to buy actual nut files yet.

Thank you. I bought these Leda dyes Wood Dye - Aniline Dye 5 Colour Kit - Wood Stain Powder by Keda Dye https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00BAKWTMQ/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_u56KDbRYJDB31

I recommend getting the Guitar Player's Repair Guide...it has taught me everything I know about doing guitar setup to how to wire pickups...it gives you the list of tools you need to use for each specific tasks

the book also has wiring diagrams for several pickup setup

You do not need, and probably do not want a top tier soldering iron for working on a guitar. The big gains on expensive soldering irons are digitally controlled temperature, faster heat up, more tip options, and a lot of extra cost.

The orange Weller is $40, and does everything you could want for working on a guitar.

If you don't own a rasp I recomend getting a Shinto rasp.

I'm thinking of starting with either:
Guitarmaking: Tradition and Technology
or
Acoustic Guitar Making: How to Make Tools, Templates, and Jigs
anyone have experience with either of those?

I did a telecaster with aniline dyes from Keda.  Just mix with water or alcohol.<br />

Telecaster

Dye

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0879309989/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_0879309989

Many of us started with this book:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0953104907/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_O83MAbMWV71PJ

Nothing you can't find on the internet, but this is one of those areas where there's just too much information out there.

Dan Erlewine's Repair Guide https://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Player-Repair-Guide-3rd/dp/0879309210

Oh, and buy a Dan Erelwine book.

http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Player-Repair-Guide-Erlewine/dp/0879302917/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372861196&sr=1-6&keywords=dan+erlewine

I started in the late 90's when I did not have internet access at home so these were my resources....

The Guitar Handbook - https://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Handbook-Ralph-Denyer/dp/0679742751

Constructing a Solidbody Guitar Roger Siminhoff - https://www.amazon.com/Constructing-Solid-Body-Guitar-Complete-Technical/dp/0881884510

And I saw how Leo did it in "The Fender book" - https://www.amazon.com/Fender-Book-Complete-History-Electric/dp/0879302593/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473794173&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Fender+Book

That and watching a lot of episodes of "The New Yankee Workshop" and seeing how I could apply that knowledge to building a guitar.

This might be up your alley.

This book will be a life saver for any basic DIY repair.

I'm not sure how much information there is directly about tap tuning, but you could look at getting the Romanillos book and/or the Courtnall book

A more unknown resource is the Bouchet workshop diary though this is in French.

KAISH Black Hard Wood Knobs... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NW9XSKJ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Saw rasp very messy, but lots of control, and can remove a lot of material.

Then, you will want sandpaper.

If you want to "stain", look into keda dyes. They are cheap and you can mix the color to your liking. I've done a couple of burst finishes with them and it was no problem. Here is a telecaster album with the dye process:

https://imgur.com/a/BFkSe

Dye itself:
https://www.amazon.com/Wood-Dye-Aniline-Color-Powder/dp/B00BAKWTMQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519139347&sr=8-1&keywords=keda+dye